Anti-theft device for skis

ABSTRACT

An anti-theft device for skis comprises a U-shaped bolt that is received and releasably locked in place in transverse boltreceiving slots secured to the upper surface of each ski, said bolt-receiving slots being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward end portions of said skis, whereby the relatively flat main portions of the skis are maintained at an acute angle with respect to each other thereby rendering the skis conspicuous and awkward to carry. The transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt and the corresponding portion of the lock means are advantageously each formed with a perpendicular polereceiving slot, each slot receiving the shaft of one pole of a pair of ski poles thereby locking the poles to the skis.

0 United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,739,606 Pyzel June 19, 1973 ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR SKIS 70,431 5/1946 Norway 280/11.37 A [7 61 Inventor: Ewald D. Pyzel, 3430 Cashill Boule- Reno 89502 Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia 22 Filed; 11, 1972 Assistant ExaminerDavid M. Mitchell Attorney-Dean S. Edmonds, Willis H. Taylor, Jr., [2]] 225585 James Wv Laistetal.

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Scr. No. l2l,736, March 8,

197i, abandoned. V 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S. PI. 70/58 280 1.37 A An anti theft devicfi for Skis Comprises a p bolt [5| ]I |L LIN. EOSb 73/00 that is received and re'easably locked in place in trans [58] held of Search 280M137 l K; verse bolt-receiving slots secured to the upper surface 70/58 26, 15 of each ski, said bolt-receiving slots being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward [56] References and end portions of said skis, whereby the relatively flat UNITED STATES PATENTS main portions of the skis are maintained at an acute 595,650 12/1897 Redman 70 26 ngle with respect to each other thereby rendering the 1,445,719 2/1923 Rozycki 70/26 skis conspicuous and awkward to carry. The transverse 3,277,676 10/1966 POchlmann t 230/1137 K X portion of the U-shaped bolt and the corresponding Seka K X portion of the lock means are advantageously each 3,590,608 7/1971 Smyth et-al. 280/11.37 K X formed with a perpendicular pole-receiving slot, each Smedley A X Slot receiving the Shaft of one p vofa p of poles FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS thereby locking the poles to the skis. 66,822 9/1943 Norway 280/1 1.37 A

i 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR SKIS RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of my copending appli- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to anti-theft devices for skis and more particularly to a device which locks the skis in a distinctive V-shaped position that renders the skis conspicuous and awkward to carry.

2. The Prior Art When skis are not in use they are commonly strapped or otherwise fastened together with the relatively fiat bottom surfaces in contact with each other. When fastened together in this manner the skis are easy to carry about and are readily stored in racks .or by thrusting the rearward ends of the skis vertically into a bank of snow outside a house or lodge. The owner of skis temporarily stored in this manner frequently leaves the skis unattended while engaging in other activities. Skis strapped together and stored unattended can easily be carried away by an unauthorized person or thief. That is to say, a thief carrying off stolen skis strapped together in the usual manner is almost impossible to distinguish from the scores of other skiers in the area legitimately carrying their own skis strapped together in identical fash' ion. As a result, the theft of skis at ski resorts is a growing problem that is difiicult to control because of the unobstrusive way in which a thief can purloin and carry off the stolen skis.

A number of devices have heretofore been proposed for preventing or frustrating the theft of skis at ski resorts and similar places. However, most of these prior art devices are cumbersome, or spoil the appearance and performance of the skis, or require special fittings at the ski rack, or have other disadvantages which make them impractical or unacceptable to the majority of skiers. After an intensive investigation of this problem I have now devised a novel anti-theft device for skis which is simple to use and which does not disfigure or harm the performance of the skis. Specifically, the antitheft device of the invention locks the two skis in a distinctive V-shaped position that makes the skis awkward to carry and, especially, very conspicuous when carried off by an unauthorized person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The anti-theft device of my invention is intended to be used in conjunction with a pair of skis having upwardly curved forward end portions and relatively flat main body portions. Bolt-receiving slots are secured to the upper surface of each ski, each slot extending transversely with respect to the ski to which it is secured and being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward end portion of this ski. A U- shaped bolt is provided the arms of which bolt are adapted to be received in the two transverse boltreceiving slots located on the curved forward end portions of the pair of skis. Finally, lock means are provided which are adapted to be releasably locked to the ends of the U-shaped bolt when the U-shaped bolt is received in the bolt-receiving slots of the skis. The arms of the U-shaped bolt are advantageously spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the combined thickness of the curved forward end portions of the skis. As a consequence, when the arms of the U-shaped bolt are received in the bolt-receiving slots, the curved forward end portions of the skis are held in contact at a point intermediate the ends of said curved portions so that the relatively flat main body portions of the skis are maintained at an acute angle with respect to each other. In an advantageous modification of my anti-theft device the U-shaped bolt, and the lock means are each formed with a perpendicular pole-receiving slot, each slot being adapted to receive the shaft of one pole of a pair of ski poles so that the poles may be locked to the skis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The anti-theft device of the invention will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of skis showing the anti-theft device of the invention in position to be applied to the skis,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a pair of skis showing the anti-theft device in position thereon,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the skis of FIG. 2 showing the distinctive V-shaped configuration of the relatively flat main body portions of the skis,

FIG. 4 shows various alternative forms for the boltreceiving slots of the anti-theft device of the invention,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing an advantageous modification of the invention that is designed to lock a pair of ski poles to the skis,

FIG; 6 is a front elevation of a pair of skis showing a ski pole secured to the skis by means of the modification of the invention shown in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the skis and ski poles of FIG. 6.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown best in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the anti-theft device of the invention is designed to be used in conjunction with conventional skis 10 having relatively flat elongated main body portions 11 terminating at their forward ends with upwardly curved end portions 12. In the advantageous embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, bolt-receiving slots 13 are secured to the upper surface of each ski 10, the slots 13 extending transversely with respect to the skis and being disposed at an intermediate point between the rearward and forward extremities 12a and 12b of the upwardly curved forward end portions 12 of the skis. A U-shaped bolt 14 is provided the arms 15 of which are adapted to be received in the transverse bolt-receiving slots 13 secured to the upper surface of the curved forward end portions 12 of the skis 10. Lock means 16 is also provided, the lock means being adapted to be releasably locked to the ends of the arms 15 of the U-shaped bolt 14. Advantageously, the lock means 16 is provided with holes 17 adapted to receive the ends of the arms 15 of the bolt 14, and further is provided with a conventional tumibler lock for releasably locking the arms 15 in said holes 17.

The arms 15 of the U-shaped bolt 14 are advantageously spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the combined thickness of the curved forward end portions 12 of the skis 10 when these curved portions 12 are placed together as illustrated in the drawing. When the curved end portions 12 are thus placed in contact with each other the arms 15 of the bolt 14 are inserted in the bolt-receiving slots 13 and the lock means 16 is secured to the ends of the arms 15 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. When the curved forward end portions 12 are secured together by the bolt 14 the relatively flat main body portions 11 of the skis are maintained at an acute angle as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The V-shaped configuration of the relatively flat main body portions 11 of the skis 10 renders the skis awkward to handle and very conspicuous when being carried off by an unauthorized person.

The bolt-receiving slots 13 shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawing comprises or are defined by two pairs of upstanding lug members 18 each lug member 18 having a slightly curved or hook-like configuration. Referring now to one such bolt-receiving slot 13, one pair of the lug 10 members 18 is secured to the upper surface of the ski 10 adjacent one edge thereof and the other pair of lug members 18 is secured adjacent the opposite edge of the ski, the lugs 18 in each pair being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the bolt arm 15 adapted to be received therein. The two pairs of lug members 18 define the bolt-receiving slot 13. When the arms 15 of the U- shaped bolt 14 are received in the slots 13 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hook-like configuration of the lug members 18 helps to retain the arms 15 in the slots 13.

Alternative embodiments of the bolt-receiving slot 13 are shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing. In one embodiment, the slot 13 comprises pairs of upstanding dowellike lug members 20 secured to the upper surface of the curved forward end portion 12 of the skis 10 in the same manner as the hook-like lugs 18 shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. In another embodiment, the bolt-receiving slot 13 comprises two parallel strip members 22 disposed transversely with respect to the ski l and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width of the bolt arm 15 adapted to be received therein. In yet another embodiment, the bolt-receiving slot 13 comprises an inverted channel member 24 having a transverse opening 25 extending therethrough that is adapted to receive the arm 15 of the U-shaped bolt 14.

Most skiers use ski poles when skiing, and it is desirable to provide means for securing the ski poles to the skis with which the poles are associated when the skis and the poles are left unattended by the skier. In the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. to 7, the anti-theft device is provided with means for locking a pair of conventional ski poles to the skis. As best shown in FIG. 7, a conventional ski pole comprises a ski po'le shaft 27 having a ski pole basket 28 secured to the shaft 27 adjacent the lower end or tip 29 of the pole. The ski pole has a hand grip or handle 30 at its upper end, the pole shaft 27 tapering gradually from a maximum diameter at the handle to a minimum diameter at the tip. A pair of ski poles are secured to the forward end portions 12 of the skis by means of the modified version of the anti-theft device as hereinafter described.

As in the previously described embodiment, bolt receiving slots 13 defined by pairs of upstanding lug members 32 are secured to the uppersurface of each ski 10, the slots 13 extending transversely with respect to the skis and being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward end portions 12 of the skis. A U-shaped bolt 34 is provided the arms 35 of which are adapted to be received in the transverse bolt receiving slots 13. Lock means 36 is also provided, the lock means being provided with a pair of openings 37 that are adapted to receive and be releasably locked to the ends of the arms 35 of the U-shaped bolt 34, the removable key 38 being used to unlock the lock means 36.

In the modified version of the anti-theft device shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt 34 that extends between the arms 35 of the bolt is formed with a first perpendicular pole-receiving slot 40, and the corresponding or facing portion of the lock means 36 is formed with a second perpendicular polereceiving slot 42 located between the bolt armreceiving openings 37 of the lock means. Each of the pole-receiving slots 40 and 42 is adapted to receive the shaft 27 of one of the ski poles at a point adjacent the basket 28 of the pole. When the shaft 27 of each ski pole is received in one or the other of the polereceiving slots 40 and 42, and when the skis, ski poles and anti-theft device are assembled as shown in the drawings, the ski poles are firmly secured to the forward end portions 12 of the skis 10 as clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. When thus assembled, the ski poles cannot be removed from the pole-receiving slots 40 and 42 because the baskets 28 prevent significant downward travel of the ski poles and the taper of the shafts 27 prevents significant upward travel of the ski poles. As a result, the skis are securely locked together at an acute angle and the ski poles are securely fastened to the skis, the assembly being awkward to handle and very conspicuous when being carried off by a thief.

From the foregoing description of my new anti-theft device for skis it will be seen that I have made an important contribution to the art to which my invention relates.

I claim: 1. An anti-theft device for a pair of skis having upwardly curved portions at their forward ends which comprises a bolt receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski of said pair, each slot extending transversely with respect to the ski to which it is secured and being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward end portion of said ski, a U-shaped bolt the arms of which are adapted to be received in the transverse bolt-receiving slots on the curved forward end portions of said skis, and

lock means adapted to be releasably locked to the ends of the arms of the U-shaped bolt.

2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the arms of the U-shaped bolt are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the combined thickness of the two skis at the curved forward end portions thereof.

3. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises two pairs of upstanding lugs, one pair of said lugs being secured to each ski adjacent each side edge thereof and the lugs of each pair being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width of the arm of the U-shaped bolt adapted to be received therebetween.

4. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises two parallel strips extending transversely with respect to the ski to which they are secured and being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width of the arm of the U-shaped bolt adapted to be received therebetween.

5. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises an inverted channel member that extends transversely with respect to the ski to which it is secured.

6. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the lock means is provided with two openings adapted to receive the ends of the U-shaped bolt.

7. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the lock means is provided with a tumbler lock for releasably engaging the ends of the U-shaped bolt.

8. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which a pair of ski poles are associated with said pair of skis, each ski pole comprising a ski pole shaft and a ski pole basket adjacent one end thereof, and in which the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt between the arms of the bolt and the corresponding facing portion of the lock means are each formed with a perpendicw lar pole-receiving slot, each pole-receiving slot being adapted to receive the shaft of one of the ski poles adjacent the basket of said pole.

9. The anti-theft device according to claim 6 in which a pair of ski poles are associated with said pair of skis, each ski pole comprising a ski pole shaft and a ski pole basket adjacent one end thereof, and in which the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt between the arms of the bolt is formed with a first perpendicular pole-receiving slot and the corresponding portion of the lock means between the bolt arm-receiving openings thereof is formed with a second perpendicular pole-receiving slot, each pole-receiving slot being adapted to receive the shaft of one of the ski poles adjacent the basket of said pole. 

1. An anti-theft device for a pair of skis having upwardly curved portions at their forward ends which comprises a bolt receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski of said pair, each slot extending transversely with respect to the ski to which it is secured and being disposed at an intermediate point on the upwardly curved forward end portion of said ski, a U-shaped bolt the arms of which are adapted to be received in the transverse bolt-receiving slots on the curved forward end portions of said skis, and lock means adapted to be releasably locked to the ends of the arms of the U-shaped bolt.
 2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the arms of the U-shaped bolt are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the combined thickness of the two skis at the curved forward end portions thereof.
 3. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises two pairs of upstanding lugs, one pair of said lugs being secured to each ski adjacent each side edge thereof and the lugs of each pair being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width of the arm of the U-shaped bolt adapted to be received therebetween.
 4. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises two parallel strips extending transversely with respect to the ski to which they are secured and being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width of the arm of the U-shaped bolt adapted to be received therebetween.
 5. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the bolt-receiving slot secured to the upper surface of each ski comprises an inverted channel member that extends transversely with respect to the ski to which it is secured.
 6. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the lock means is provided with two openings adapted to receive the ends of the U-shaped bolt.
 7. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the lock means is provided with a tumbler lock for releasably engaging the ends of the U-shaped bolt.
 8. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which a pair of ski poles are associated with said pair of skis, each ski pole comprising a ski pole shaft and a ski pole basket adjacent one end thereof, and in which the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt between the arms of the bolt and the corresponding facing portion of the lock means are each formed with a perpendicular pole-receiving slot, each pole-receivinG slot being adapted to receive the shaft of one of the ski poles adjacent the basket of said pole.
 9. The anti-theft device according to claim 6 in which a pair of ski poles are associated with said pair of skis, each ski pole comprising a ski pole shaft and a ski pole basket adjacent one end thereof, and in which the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt between the arms of the bolt is formed with a first perpendicular pole-receiving slot and the corresponding portion of the lock means between the bolt arm-receiving openings thereof is formed with a second perpendicular pole-receiving slot, each pole-receiving slot being adapted to receive the shaft of one of the ski poles adjacent the basket of said pole. 